Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 591 Dreams and the Etheric Body (Second Update)

Dreams hold a crucial position in magic. They are mirror images of the real world, and for spellcasters, omens and illusions within dreams are things to be wary of. Just as Merlin banished and sealed away Salomon's dream in the past, that dream also reflected some truths. Dreams are also closely related to astral projection. Using astral projection to travel among the stars and outer dimensions is a study program in Kamar-Taj, and becoming a master of arcane arts is a mark of circumnavigating the astral plane, freely exploring the bizarre and fantastical emotional projections and mirror images of the prime material plane.

Or rather, he survived without going insane.

Compared to other arcane mages, Salomon can advance further with the help of the Silver Key. Theoretically, the Silver Key could help him access an astral plane of another universe. Although this is only a theoretical possibility, Salomon's past dreams indicate that he once reached a mirror image of the reality of another universe, a place called the Dreamlands. That place, like the outer dimensions of this world, the Faerûn astral plane, belongs to the spiritual world outside the Prime Material Plane. Undoubtedly, this is an ability granted by the Silver Key. The favor of Yog-Sothoth is not something ordinary people can withstand; those illusions that cannot distinguish between reality and illusion, those unpredictable dreams, and those terrifying prophecies are enough to drive a person insane.

Fortunately, the Venerable One summoned Merlin, enabling Salomon to build a mental defense while his magical resistance and willpower were relatively weak, thus completely preventing the dream from driving him mad. At the same time, based on this phenomenon, the Venerable One concluded that traversing parallel universes was feasible for Salomon; however, the Time Stone and the Silver Key could only allow him to observe the possibility, not intervene. The Venerable One hoped that Salomon could explore a grander magical world. For spellcasters, knowledge is life and money, and the knowledge of exploring another universe is an unimaginable temptation for a qualified spellcaster.

The difference in difficulty between observation and interference is considerable, and the only aid he had was a quantum suit provided by Stark from another parallel universe. Of course, there's another physicist worth mentioning: the ill-tempered Dr. Pym—that old man never gave anyone a friendly look. It wasn't until Salomon exposed the true nature of the Pym Particles, discussing things even Dr. Hank himself didn't know, and the new concept of outer dimensions, that he gradually accepted Salomon and began to see the arcane mage as someone with whom he could discuss knowledge.

Regardless of Hank Pym's volatile temper, he was a pioneer in quantum physics research worldwide, and his knowledge was extremely helpful to Salomon's theoretical physics research; otherwise, he would have already clashed with that old man. However, this annoying fellow refused to join the Immortal City, so academic exchanges between Salomon and Hank Pym were primarily limited to emails and in-person visits. There was no afternoon tea or refreshments, only the kind of bullets that could easily get you shot—full-powered rounds from World War II.

In conclusion, dreams are also a window through which Salomon observes the inner world of spellcasters, and mysticism is always inextricably linked to dreams.

Although Wanda doesn't yet engage in astral projection, according to the principles of astral projection—that is, when consciousness leaves the body, it generates an etheric body in the etheric layer near the material plane, powered by energy from the chakras, and moves within the etheric layer or other astral planes—the etheric body also reflects the subconscious in dreams. Salomon can assess Wanda's mental health by questioning her about her dreams and etheric body.

As Salomon journeyed to the edge of the galaxy, the other Kamar-Taj sorcerers continued their surveillance of Wanda, though they all tried to avoid appearing before her. This was not only because they had not cultivated a good relationship with the Maximoff siblings, but also because Wanda's abilities were simply too formidable.

The mages tasked with this work were handpicked by the Venerable One; their will was exceptionally strong, yet even this couldn't prevent them from being corrupted by Wanda's power—according to reports Salomon had seen, the power Wanda leaked in her dreams was gradually affecting the soldiers in the castle. Fortunately, the power of the Vishanti was highly effective at cleansing the corruption of the power of Sithon, much like the targeted approach of the Book of Vishanti and the Dark Book, forcing the mages to work overtime to cleanse the corruption while maintaining their own unwavering will and staying away from corruption.

"To be honest, your power isn't that bad." Salomon, who was working overtime, handed the parchment to Wanda, completely ignoring the difference in spell resistance between himself and other arcane mages. The reason why the illusions Wanda created weren't very effective against Salomon was that her spells couldn't completely penetrate Salomon's spell resistance. What was an immersive illusion for others was like a cheap 1980s Hollywood sci-fi movie to him.

The red-haired girl frowned, carefully reading the dense text on the report. It was written in Latin, which made Wanda, who had never received any formal education, shudder. Salomon, of course, hadn't forgotten Latin, a compulsory subject in magic, so this report became Wanda's reading comprehension test.

He was simply too lazy to find lesson plans, so he used this report to fill in the gaps.

Pietro, seemingly oblivious to everything, continued to feast. The only redeeming quality of American food is its high calorie content, which, for teenagers like Salomon and Pietro, is never enough—hunger is a double torment of mind and body, especially during puberty. Pietro is truly terrified of hunger, and he'll eat as much as he can, no matter how much food is available. He used to be able to eat without gaining weight simply because he was poor; now he's able to because his superpowers consume a huge amount of calories.

"Have I really affected anyone?" Wanda asked, frowning.

"I don't know, it doesn't affect me anyway. Once you've learned enough and mastered your power, this problem will disappear." Whether or not he'd been to N-Gara, Salomon's way of interacting with the Maximoff siblings hadn't changed much. It was as if the terrifying sights there couldn't shake his mind, making him see Wanda as the culprit behind Sithon's escape from the seal. Wanda's essence was the same as Salomon's—a product of the deep fusion of extradimensional power and physical form. This made Salomon feel a little sorry for the girl—such an existence would undoubtedly grant unimaginable power, but at the same time, it would burden the person with immense responsibility, facing an inescapable fate.

Salomon was ready to defy fate, but he didn't believe Wanda could possess such a strong will.

"I want to learn more, teacher," Wanda said, tugging at LS Lomon's sleeve.

"I know, I know, I'm just thinking about what to teach you." Considering Wanda Maximoff's growing and nearly out-of-control power, Salomon racked his brains to find magic that was suitable for Wanda and not too harmful to teach her.

"Want to learn how to turn a person into an animal?"

"Are you referring to the [Beast Awakening Technique]? You also told me that there's no need to delve into those folk magics."

"Self-transformation? Hmm, not the stuff from Harry Potter."

"I have already learned the [Bat Transformation Technique]."

"So, how far have you progressed in your planar studies? Have you finished reading the creature encyclopedia of the Shadow Dimension?" Salomon pointed to a large book lying to the side, the assignment he had left for Wanda before he left. Although the cell light wasn't very bright, it was enough to see the dust on the cover.

"Question: What type of energy are shadow creatures generally resistant to?"

"What does this have to do with controlling power?" Wanda asked.

"It's alright, but with knowledge you'll understand your own situation. Although this is a crash course, as a spellcaster you should become independent as soon as possible. I can't always be with you to clean up your messes. So, today we'll learn how to borrow the power of the shadow plane to become a dragon! I love this spell!"

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)